Velocipede.



No. 645,579. Patented Mar; 20, 1900.-

.T. TOLSON.

VELOCIPEDE.

(Application filed. Mar. m lsaaj (No Model.)

3 Sheets-:Shaat 2.

wifqegses. I IEJ fEEJEEII Z Patented Mar. 20, I900.

T. TOLSDN.

VELOCIPEDE.

(Applicafiion filed Mar, 18, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

Wik E552 5.

PATENT THOMAS TOLSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming. part of Letters Patent No. 645,579, datedMarch'QO, 1900.

Application filed March 18, 1899. Serial No. 709 614. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS ToLsON, a citizen of Great Britain, residingat Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of velocipedes inwhich combined hand and foot power is used for propelling the vehicle;and it relates more particularly to improvements in mechanism forpropelling and steering the velocipede, as will hereinafter be morefully shown and described, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improvedvelocipede. Fig. 2 represents a top plan View of Fig. 1, showing thesaddle and upper knobs on the handle-rods removed.

Fig. 3 represents an end view of the hand propelling and steering deviceas seen from the arrow X in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a side elevationof a modification of the invention, showing a substitution of a chaindriving mechanism for the gear-andscrank device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.Fig. 5 represents a top plan of that portion lyingbelow the line 5 5shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of a modified formof the hand and foot power propelling device. Fig. 7 represents a topplan View of Fig. 6, showing the saddle and hand-rod knobs removed.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur'on thedifferent parts of the drawings.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A represents the front wheel, journaled in thefront fork B, which is provided with the upwardly-projecting forkspindleB, journaled in the head 0, that forms a part of the frame C, as iscommon in vehicles of this kind.

D is the rear driving-wheel, journaled on a spindle 01, secured to therear forked portion of the frame 0. To opposite ends of the hub of saiddriving-wheel are secured pinions D D, the teeth of which mesh inspur-gears E E, the shafts of which are suitably journaled in bearingsin the rear portion of the frame and provided with cranks e e, as shown.

At f in Figs. 1 and 2 are pivoted on opposite sides of the frame 0 thepreferably triangular or bell-crank levers F F, provided at their rearends with pedals G G. The position of said bell-crank levers may bereversed and pivoted to the upper portion of the frame and theirconnecting parts arranged accordingly. The forward ends of the saidtriangular or bell-crank levers F F are preferably suitable bearings 0 Cattached to or forming parts of the frame 0. To the upper ends of thehand-rods I I are secured the handknobs I I, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The upper ends of the triangular or bellcrank levers F F are connectedby means of links F F to the cranks e e, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In propelling the velocipede the operator while seated on the saddle Kdepresses with one foot the pedal G on one side of the machinev andsimultaneously depresses with one of his hands the rod I on the oppositeside of the machine, and by thus alternately depressing the pedal on oneside and the hand-rod on the opposite side rocking motions are impartedto the triangular or bell-crank levers, causing a continuous rotarymotion tobe imparted to the gears E E, pinions D D, and reardriving-wheel D.

The steering mechanism for the purposeof guiding the velocipede isconstructed as follows: To the upper end of the fork-spindle B issecured a cross-bar B, to the ends of which are pivotally connected thelinks I) b, the rear ends of which are perforated, as shown at b b inFig. 2. On the outer side of each handrod I is arranged a rod I, whichis secured in a suitable manner to said hand-rod. Such rod I passesloosely through the perforation b in the rear end of the link b, asshown in Fig. 3, and it will thus be seen that the forward Wheel A maybe turned more or less to the right or left simply by turning the handles I I correspoi'idingly. L in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is alongitudinally-slotted guide which is secured in a suitable manner tothe forward portion of the frame 0'. Said slotted guide is adapted toreceive the links Z; I) and serves to hold the latter in theirhorizontal position during the vertical reciprocating m 0- tion of thehand-rods I I.

In Figs. 4 and 5 is represented a modification of the propellingmechanism, showing it as applied to a sprocket wheel and chain drivingdevice. In said Figs. 4 and 5 the hand propelling and steering device issubstantially like that shown inFigs. 1, 2, and 3. Instead of thetriangular or bell-crank levcrs F (shown in Fig. 1) I make use, in thismodification, of straight levers F F, which are pivoted at to the frameof the machine. Said levers F are connected in their forward ends to thesleeves 2' i on the hand-rods I I as shown in Figs. 1,2,and 3. To therear end of each rock-lever F is pivoted a pedal-link G, provided at itslower end with a pedal G, as shown in Figs. 4.- and 5. To the rear endof each lever F is pivotally connected a pitman F, the lower end ofwhich is pivoted to a crank d, secured to a shaft 01, 'journaled in abearing on the frame of the vehicle. To said shaft (1 is secured asprocket-wheel D, from which leads an endless sprocket-chain D to asmall sprocket-wheel (1 secured to the hub of the rear wheel D, as shownin Figs. at and 5. The manner of propelling the velocipede representedin the modification shown in Figs. a and 5 is similar to that describedand shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3- namely, the operator while seated on thesaddle K depresses the pedal on one side of the machine andsimultaneously depresses with one of his hands the rod I on the oppositeside of the machine, and by this alternately depressing the pedal on oneside and the handrod on the opposite side a continuous rotary motion isimparted to the rear driving-wheel D.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown another modification similar to the onerepresented in Figs. 4 and 5, with this difieren ce that instead ofsprocket wheels and chains (shown in Figs. a and 5) I make use ofspur-gears on the rear driving-wheel similar to those shown in Figs. 1and 2.

In the modification represented in Figs. 6 and 7 I interpose between therock-levers F and crank-rods F a lever F (one on each side of themachine,) which is pivoted at f to the frame of the velocipede andconnected at its rear end to the pitman or crank rod F and at itsforward end to the lever F, and in practice I secure to the forward endof the intermediate lever F a pin adapted to engage fication issubstantially like that shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Having thus fully described the nature,construction, and operation of myinvention, I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim-- 1. In avelocipede,the combination of a pair of reciprocating handle-rods guidedin bearin gs attached to the frame of the machine and having their lowerends universally connected to bell-crank or triangular rocking levers,pivotally connected to the frame and mounted on a fixed pivot on thedriving mechanism of the rear wheel, and pedals connected to saidrocking levers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a velocipede, the combination of a pair of reciprocatinghandle-rods guided in bearings attached to the frame of the machine andhaving theirlower ends universally connected to bell-crank or triangularrocking levers pivotally connected to the frame and connected to thedriving mechanism of the rear wheel, steering-rods attached to thehandle-rods, and links pivotally connected to said steering-rods attheir rear ends and pivotally connected at their forward ends to across-bar on the forkspindle of the forward or steering wheel,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a velocipede the herein described steering device consisting inthe combination of a pair of reciprocating handle-rods, steering-rodsattached to said handle-rods, links pivotally connected to saidsteering-rods and to a cross-bar on the fork-spindle of the forward orsteering wheel, and a slotted guide secured to the frame of the machinein which said links are guided and held from vertical movementsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a velocipede in combination a pair of reciprocating handle-rods,sleeves 2', i, journaled on the same and held from longitudinal motionthereon, forks pivotally connected to said sleeves and having their rearends guided in rocking pedal-levers, pivoted to the frame and suitablyconnected to the driving mechanism of the rear wheel substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

THOMAS TOLSON.

Witnesses:

ALBAN ANDREN, LAURITZ N. Months.

IIO

